The myth of Prometheus, the sacrificial rituals and meat consumption in Greek Antiquity

Abstract

Abstract: The prosperity of gastronomy in contemporary times leads to formulate that food has become a concern of our time as if it were something unprecedented for humanity. However, the ancient texts produced by the Greco-Roman culture (medical, philosophical, historiographical, and literary works) reflect vast considerations about the value of food for human beings. Among the foods discussed, the Greeks paid special attention to the consumption of meat and the sacred rituals that involved the slaughter and cooking of animals. In this article, we present the sources that relate the sacrificial rites and the myth of Prometheus to the carnivorous diet and the historiographical perspectives about meat consumption in Ancient Hellas. We also reflect on the possibilities of exclusivity of animal protein within the liturgical sphere or the existence of “secular” meat, disassociated from religious practices. Still, we resorted to various evidence and bibliographies to understand how meats took place at the table of the Greeks.

Keywords: Prometheus; Greek sacrifice; Meat consumption.